Thousands take part in Hertsmere draft local plan consultation

Hertsmere Borough Council says thousands took part in its eight week consultation on its draft local plan which sets out how Hertsmere is to be developed over the next 15 years and beyond.

The consultation prompted a wave of responses from concerned members of the community and action groups were quickly formed across the borough in a bid to raise awareness of what is proposed.

The draft local plan reveals which sites the council believes are most appropriate to build on to meet Government housing targets of at least 760 per year up until 2038.

Much of the land across the likes of Borehamwood, Bushey, Radlett, Shenley, Potters Bar, and near London Colney is rural and supposedly protected green belt.

Areas in dark blue are existing settlements in Hertsmere and light blue is where homes are proposed in the draft local plan. Credit: Hertsmere Borough Council (Image: Hertsmere Borough Council)

A 'Save our Green belt blimp'. Credit: Save Radlett campaign group

'Save Hertsmere' - formed after several community campaigns across the borough joined forces - says 10,000 objections were made through various campaign websites.

Stephen Balsam, co-founder of Save-Radlett and the Save-Hertsmere, said: "Residents and campaign groups have been shocked and angered by this draft plan proposal. They have fought hard in a short space of time to object against this.

"We have managed to help people have their voices heard, so this is a very significant step. The collaborative nature of this campaign has been amazing."

Save Radlett co-founder Stephen Balsam (Image: Save Hertsmere)

Well End resident Julia Dunsford also played a key part in the Save Hertsmere campaign, with the group working together as "one tight unit to rightly protect Hertsmere’s towns from over development and to protect the beautiful greenbelt we are lucky to have in our borough".

It's not just housing with concerns also about plans for the country's 'largest film studios' in Well End on the outskirts of Borehamwood.

Members of the community and the opposition at Hertsmere Borough Council took part in a protest at the end of September (Image: Newsquest)

The leader of the Hertsmere Labour group Jeremy Newmark had accused the council of "avoiding the public" after choosing to hold a digital public consultation rather than face-to-face events.

He said it provided an opportunity for councillors to avoid answering questions from the public concerned about the amount of green belt at risk.

A banner calling to save land under threat in the local plan off Farm Way in Bushey

The council says more than 12,000 comments and views have been submitted on the local plan.

Conservative council leader Morris Bright said: "We want to thank everyone who took the time to make their views heard. We're delighted at the number of responses we've received to this public engagement - one of the most successful ever undertaken by the council.

"We've used an array of online and more traditional methods, including social media posts, newsletters, a bespoke website, local media and stakeholder briefings to reach people and we also appreciate what others have done to help promote the plan and encourage everyone to have their say.

"We will now be working through all the comments submitted and taking them into consideration in the next step of the local plan process."

Hertsmere borough councillor Harvey Cohen, left, who is leading on the local plan process, and council leader Morris Bright at the Tyttenhanger Estate near London Colney which is earmarked for a 6,000 home development. Credit: Hertsmere Borough Council (Image: Hertsmere Borough Council)

Councillor Harvey Cohen, who has pledged any potential Government changes to housing requirements would be "reflected appropriately" in the local plan, added the council is now preparing a revised local plan to be submitted to the Secretary of State in 2022, with a further round of public consultation.

Visit www.hertsmerelocalplan.com for more infoamtion.